Political analysis, art, and humor

McCain

Here’s the big difference in McCainer and Obamer outcomes. The John winners want to go back to their houses, watch TV and count money. The Barack winners want to play a part in the next government that changes everything. I assume a Barack win, though I continue to call and canvass – not for victory – but to rehearse how to work for this new democracy. The O outcome will give all Americans some global credibility, but this is not a flag raising, but a freedom ringing era. It is not one party wins all, it is all of us as party to a new American democracy. Witness the NYT writing straight out on baseball stats and Health care. The parts to play are many that the new President must summon – erasing the war from the balance sheet, founding national economic principle, starting the energy revolution, monitoring the world environment, and healing the method actors of national outrage.

The “plumbing” business that Joe wants to buy is extremely unlikely to earn enough profit for Joe to actually pay more tax under Obama’s plan. And even if he DID make $280K profit then he’d pay something like $700 more a year, which is half of what he currently owes Ohio in back taxes. Even then, it remains to be seen whether he’d pay the extra taxes, as his history suggests he’s a tax dodger.

Joe is typical of the short term ME-ME approach embodied by Republicans today. Joe has been successful precisely because of progressive tax policies that favor the middle class (which he used to be in). He is able to buy the business because of leaders like Clinton (and Obama) that understand that wealth of all of us (including those at the top) is positively impacted by the wealth of the majority. Trickle UP economics is what works!

Ohio will probably be interested to find out that Joe isn’t paying taxes at the same time as he’s considering buying a business. Time to raid Joe’s house and take a peek under the mattress, or in the hot water tank, or wherever it is that “plumbers” keep their money. </rant>

In the worst case, Joe benefits from Obama. According to tax analysts, if Mr. Wurzelbacher’s gross business receipts were $250,000, then he would NOT have to pay higher taxes under Mr. Obama’s plan. Joe is actually eligble for a tax cut. More at the NYT.

Let’s hope Joe is a better plumber than a financial decoy for the GOP, because that hot water heater is ready to blow.

By the way, rant, it turns out Joe’s voter registration name is misspelled so his ballot may be put in the contested stack and not actually counted for the election.

<rant>That’s great! All we need now is for Joe the plumber to actually get educated about these evil “liberal” plans and realize that he’ll actually be better off because Obama’s tax hike won’t affect him, AND he’ll get a tax credit so he can give him employees healthcare which I’m SURE he truly wants to do, as he’s such a patriot n’ all.

Remember, cutting taxes means debt, so debt is wealth, and wealth is patriotic. So cutting taxes is patriotic!
</rant>

Update Oct 21 — Paul Krugman’s look at Real Plumbers in Ohio, stating the average joe plumber does not even make $50,000. How about a short Barrack ad standing with 50 average plumbers in Ohio called Joe. Who is this “Joe the Plumber?” I hear Michael Moore has already organized plumbers to do the right thing – free or very low cost fixes as their election message. In the end, Joe the Plumber is full of crap.

Why are the end of these debates so telling? Can’t wait to leave or can’t wait to spread the charm? The still shot taken at the third debate is revealed by the video from a different angle. Glad these proceedings are ended. See the archetypal debate between Batman and the Penguin – surprisingly very Obama vs McCain. No Mudslinging!

Once upon a time, there was a group of people that were as intelligent as William F. Buckley. They generated wealth, conserved resources, spent wisely, were generally happy, and had a large world view. They became powerful and did not want to lose their position so they appointed a friendly dummy to rule the kingdom. Over time the dummy wasted money, spent foolishly, had only one view of the kingdom, and was plainly ignorant. The once-wise became vain and thought it would appear bad if they chastised their dummy. They did not police themselves to cultivate their deepest values, and started to reach old age.

The idiot ruler surrounded himself with people like himself. For one thing, he appointed a fox as town cryer. The wily fox knew if he said only good things about the king’s reign he would get big treats. Any who disagreed were made fun of and then banished. Citizens heard only one story. The once-wise liked it that way. But the foxes stories created a deep division in the kingdom. A silent resentful group smart enough to know the difference between a lie and the truth – called the knowers, and the less intelligent who couldn’t tell the difference – called the believers.

As the once-wise began to die off, their ranks were filled with braggers, boasters, and simple-minded believers who listened without question. A great turnabout occurred as if by magic. The believers, remarkably once-wise, now had reversed their cherished values. They no longer generated wealth, they contrived money-making betting schemes, squandered resources, became mean, intolerant of the world, were generally unhappy and were proudly and heroically stupid.

The kingdom became poorer not because the dummy made foolish decisions, but because the once-wise did not intervene to fix anything. Why? Because they were too old, too wealthy, and lived in fabulous palaces. Soon they all died off.

Tuesday night debate over, tv cameras rolling, candidates work the room of citizen questioners. McCain glad-hands the audience, but the audience seems to fawn over Obama. Two minutes into this, everyone is whipping out pocket cameras apparently given by the studio, taking pictures of Obama, getting into the picture, and posing with Obama. NO ONE WANTS A PICTURE OF MCCAIN. Barack and Michelle basked in the smiles and warmth of the audience. If the crowd voted with their flash cameras, it was a sparkling landslide for Barack. McCain got through the pleasantries and jetted out with Cindy early on. Where is the love?

29 days left on the old Bush clock. Halloween approaches. The all-seeing always-linking Andrew Sullivan spots an Obaman act of goodness as Autumnal days get darker.

Hyper-Halloween heats up with both parties now. The fear meter tips more to the right as the Republicans haunt the American imagination with the “white flag”, “terrorists pal” and the other ilk of character assassination pressed by, I will call it, “Neandrican” leadership.

The Bush clock ticks and the Neandrican “October Surprise” is being wound up tighetr than a Jack-in-the-box. Ready to pop out for capture is Bin Laden previewed on 60 minutes. Cromagnocrats stay frosty. Be advised.

The skilled Cromagnocrat can seize the winning strategy against Al Qaeda, whereas the Neandrican is unable to let go. Monkeys are caught when they reach into an anchored gourd filled with shiny coins. When the hunter charges, the animal will not unclench his fist to run away. “Must surge now.”

Stirring the pot of hatred, the polarizing Republican rally to kill, baby kill. I am now hearing people use “Alaska!” as an expletive, as in “Alaska! don’t make me come over there.”, or “Alaska! Whose calling me now?”

What are the foxy Republicans going to do with the VP debate looming – “Suspend it”? How about throw a cloud over the African American emcee from PBS, Gwen Ifill, who has a “bias” toward blacks. Oops can’t say that. Let’s call it political bias, no ooops, let’s cloud it in another way. Gwen is writing one of her chapters in a forthcoming book on politicians about Obama and she stands to profit from stacking the debate. Perhaps the Republicans should suspend the debate on principle.